toxico-, toxic-, toxi-, tox-, toxin-, -toxically, -toxaemia, -toxemia, -toxaemic, -toxemic, -toxical, -toxy, -toxis, -toxicosis, -toxism, -toxia, -toxin, -toxicity

(Greek: poison)

This Greek element originally meant "bow", then it became "arrow", then a "poisoned arrow" and finally "poison". In most cases, toxico- means poison, but in a few situations it refers to the original meaning of "arrow", as in toxophilite and toxophily; "love of or fondness for archery", and so it shouldn't be confused with toxophil, toxophile, "having an affinity for or an attraction to a toxin or poison'.
abstemious (adjective); more abstemious, most abstemious
1. Relating to moderateness when eating and drinking; sober, temperate: Ted's family ate abstemious meals in order to cut down on their overweight conditions.

Abstemious people restrict themselves to the bare necessities of life and prefer an austere, simple, or unassuming lifestyle.

2. Etymology: abs-, ab-, "from, away from" + temetum, "intoxicating drink, mead, wine".
Moderate and sparing in the use of food and drink; being temperate.
© ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
for a list of additional Mickey Bach illustrations.

acarotoxic (adjective), more acarotoxic, most acarotoxic
A reference to a poison that kills mites: Because of an infestation of mites in her home, Jane got an acarotoxic solution to exterminate the invasion of those very tiny creatures.
acetyldigitoxin (s) (noun), acetyldigitoxins (pl)
A category of cardiac glycoside: Acetyldigitoxin is an acetyl derivative and has has the same actions and uses as digitoxin, but a more rapid onset and shorter duration of action.
actinotoxemia (s) (noun), actinotoxemias (pl)
A term for radiation sickness: While reading her biology book, Annette came across the obsolete word actinotoxemia which meant an illness caused by exposure to electromagnetic radiation, which would also include the sunburn.
actinotoxin (s) (noun) (no pl)
A crude poison derived from extracts of the tentacles of sea anemones: The actinotoxin, or venom, of the tentacles is a combination of toxins, including neurotoxins, that deactivate or paralyze its prey so it can transfer it to its mouth for digestion.
adrenotoxin (s) (noun), adrenotoxins (pl)
A substance poisonous to the adrenal glands: Cancer, tuberculosis, inherited disorders, or fungal infections are types of adrenotoxins which can create an insufficiency in the function of the suprarenal glands.
aflatoxicosis
Poisoning caused by the consumption of substances or foods contaminated with aflatoxin (fungal toxin which is a powerful liver carcinogen).
aflatoxin
1. A fungal toxin which is a powerful liver carcinogen, found particularly in undeveloped and developing countries.
2. A group of closely related toxic (poisonous) metabolites (substance produced by physical and chemical processes) that are designated mycotoxins (poisonous compounds produced by certain fungi).

Aflatoxins are toxic and among the most carcinogenic substances known.

allotoxin
An obsolete term for antitoxin.
alopecia toxica
Loss of hair thought to be due to toxins of infectious disease.
anagotoxic
andromedotoxin
A poisonous crystalline substance found in various ericaceous plants; especially, the genus Andromeda [a genus of shrubs of which one dwarf herb-like species is native to Britain and others to North America].
anthropotoxin (s) (noun), anthropotoxins (pl)
A poison believed to be exhaled from the lungs of human beings.
antiantitoxin
antitoxic

A cross reference of another word family that is related directly, or indirectly, with: "poison": veno-; viru-.